Now It's War

A check of the bluebird box today revealed two very interesting developments.  First, the nesting chickadees are gone.  And there is no evidence to suggest the hatchlings didn't fledge.  I expected that by now.  Second, house wrens promptly set up one of their pesky twiggy nests.  This was a vexation last year.  But I am not going to put up with it in 2013!  That nest is now gone.  And I will repeat that action every day until the wrens get the message.  There are many boxes around here and at this time I will concede any of them to the wrens.  Not this one.  Should be interesting to see how long I'll need to take action!

No House Wrens (?)

It can be strange to experience the peculiar shifting habits of nesting birds.  Last year, I had serious problems with pesky House Wrens filling the best nest boxes with their stack of twigs, and in one case hogging a bluebird box.  This year: two good boxes put to good use, and no wren nests anywhere I can tell.  They ignored all three of my premier boxes and probably ignored the remaining four.  I am delighted with these results: let my neighbors host the lousy wrens!   But doubt remains...will they eventually return in a later wave?

They Flew the Coop

The House Wrens have completed their work for the year.  After three days of hearing nothing from the bluebird box (i.e. the box the bluebirds ignored this year!) I popped open the access door and took a good look inside.  The nest, which had in it noisy hatchlings only a few days ago, is empty.  Only a few small feathers attest to the work done there.  And as is the case with the House Wrens here, there is no sign of the birds.  I'm sure they're out there probing for insects in one big, happy family group.  Only the goldfinches remain in the nesting hunt.  It should be interesting to see what comes of that.

And Then, Wrens

While the computer crash was in the cards, there was also activity in the bluebird box.  Only the occupants have not been bluebirds but House Wrens.  And somewhere in the past five days the brood hatched.  I have heard a great deal of crying and begging from the box each of the past three mornings.  By the way, the bluebirds were not losers for lack of using this box--assuming that they wanted it.  I have seen a pair of bluebird twins being fed at the suet feeder.  So, we had wrens.  Not the greatest news on earth, but the House Wrens are only obnouxious in nesting season and we feel inclined to welcome them to our little patch of earth.  I've actually enjoyed listening for them!

One Tough Momma

One must truly marvel at some of our passerines.  In the hottest part of summer they can hole up in a nest box, which despite ventilation holes must be a hothouse, and tough out an incubation period.  And I still marvel even if the bird in question here is a House Wren who's elbowed out Eastern Bluebirds.  Momma wren has been on station for many days.  I can easily see if she's home by "pishing":  right away she sticks her head out to see what blasted fool is making a racket.  Hatching must be soon.  I will leave her (and any fledglings) in peace, but I am in a hurry to eliminate the nest as soon as I can.  For now, I marvel at how tough a Momma she is. 

A Clutch of House Wren Eggs

Readers may recall that about two weeks ago I gave up demolishing a succession of House Wren nests in our post bluebird box.  I concluded that the wrens' persistence equated to serious use of the facility.  That has turned out to be the case.  I found a clutch of four eggs in the nest this morning.  The parents were nowhere in sight or hearing, but the weather is certainly warm enough that no extra incubation is needed!  Well, I would prefer the bluebirds at the box but they never seemed interested this year.  We'll see what comes of the House Wrens. 

Persistent Devils

The image before you is a House Wren nest.  It's in our Bluebird Box.  And it is the last of four nests the birds have constructed in the past week.  I have made it a 2012 policy to eliminate these nests given that so many are decoys rendering the boxes unusable.  And I have cleaned out two other boxes this spring--but those, only once.  I cleaned this one out Sunday, and Tuesday, and yesterday.  The wrens persist in restoring the contents.  Well, I gave up.  They seem intent on putting a nest here, and the bluebirds are probably done for the season and in any case showed no signs of interest.  So perhaps the House Wrens will make a go.  I will be watching intently!

A Needed Housecleaning

Yesterday, among other tasks, I conducted a special housecleaning---at the nest boxes out back.  And that would be at the expense of some pesky House Wrens.  Seems these little devils hope to crimp the competition by building dummy nests in boxes like mine, and in fact they did to two of my best boxes.  Satisfied that these are dummies---the birds have not been by in at least a week, I took 'em out (the nests, not the birds!).  Those boxes are available for use again, or so I hope.  And if the wrens decide to waste their time building another dummy, I will be at the ready.  Make my day, wrens!

More Mischief

Last year's nest box action included two then-mystery nests in my best new boxes.  Experts pinned the blame on House Wrens, a species I hadn't come across before on the property.  Fact accepted.  This year the behavior re-emerged -- in the same two boxes(!) -- and this time I caught the perps.  House Wrens they were, and a feistier pair of birds it is hard to imagine.  The little devils scolded me as I planted some wildflowers (co-incidentally, beneath each box) and I observed them busily hauling twigs into both boxes.  My naturalist friend tells me these are likely decoy nests.  I'm of a mind to do away with the mess and allow worthier habitants to use the boxes.  But it is probably too late in this round: if the boxes are not really being used in two weeks, well, then, the cleaner shall visit!  For now, I must enjoy the mischief.